The government's act of charging Batu MP Tian Chua under the Sedition Act 1948 appears to be part of its attempts to strike at opposition leaders ahead of the general election, claimed Bersih steering committee member Maria Chin Abdullah.
According to Maria (right), Tian Chua’s prosecution shocked the public and raised eyebrows as other individuals who have also made statements on the Lahad Datu incursion were not charged.
“Charging Tian Chua is quite surprising definitely. There is no necessity to do that.
“it certainly looks like the (government) is targeting the opposition.
According to Maria (right), Tian Chua’s prosecution shocked the public and raised eyebrows as other individuals who have also made statements on the Lahad Datu incursion were not charged.“Charging Tian Chua is quite surprising definitely. There is no necessity to do that.
“it certainly looks like the (government) is targeting the opposition.
“Others have also made comments about Lahad Datu, but they have not been hauled up in this manner,” she said during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this morning.
Maria hoped the case against the PKR vice-president would be dropped and Malaysians can then focus on the looming general election.
Case a diversionary tactic
This morning, Tian Chua, whose real name is Chua Tian Chang, had claimed trial to the charge, under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act 1948, for allegedly saying, at 11am on March 1, that the gunfight in Lahad Datu, Sabah, was a conspiracy of the Umno government.
He posted bail of RM5,000, with one surety.
He posted bail of RM5,000, with one surety.
Meanwhile, human rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) regarded the charge brought on Chua as a witch-hunt designed to distract the public from issues arising from the Lahad Datu intrusion.
In a press release today, LFL co-founder and adviser Eric Paulsen said the incident had revealed lax coastal security, poor intelligence gathering, unchecked migration and citizenship manipulation.
Paulsen also criticised the heavy use of public funds and police resources in recording statements from 225 individuals related to 318 police reports lodged against Chua.
"This is an extreme waste of valuable public funds and police resources which would have been better used to address real crimes, rather than being squandered on what is clearly a politically motivated offence," he said.
In a press release today, LFL co-founder and adviser Eric Paulsen said the incident had revealed lax coastal security, poor intelligence gathering, unchecked migration and citizenship manipulation.
Paulsen also criticised the heavy use of public funds and police resources in recording statements from 225 individuals related to 318 police reports lodged against Chua.
"This is an extreme waste of valuable public funds and police resources which would have been better used to address real crimes, rather than being squandered on what is clearly a politically motivated offence," he said.
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